Method for controlling the deformation of a surface of a sail of a sailing boat during a direction change maneuver
US7878134B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 13, 2005 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB63H9/065
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method for controlling the deformation of a surface of a sail of a sailing boat during a direction change maneuver, includes arranging at least one inflatable batten into a respective seat formed on a side surface of the sail, the at least one batten being inflated at a predetermined working pressure as to impart to said at least one inflatable batten a bending stiffness having, with no bending load, a predetermined value, carrying out a maneuver for changing the direction of the sailing boat, wherein in a first part of maneuver, the at least one batten is subjected to the action of an increasing bending load, and in a second part of the maneuver, the bending load ends its action on the at least one batten, during the maneuver the mechanical properties of the at least one batten being changed so that as the bending load increases in the first part of the maneuver, the value of the bending stiffness of the at least one batten decreases considerably, and as the action of the bending load ends in the second part of the maneuver, the bending stiffness of the at least one batten returns to the predetermined value.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.